HYDERABAD: A day before BRS MLC K Kavitha’s scheduled appearance before the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi excise policy case, the pink party leader on Friday led a daylong hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar here, seeking passage of the long-pending Women’s Reservation Bill in this Budget session of Parliament.
The Bill seeks to reserve 33% seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women. The second leg of the Budget session of Parliament will start on March 13 and end on April 6. Kavitha, daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, appealed to all political parties to exert pressure on the Modi government on this issue in Parliament, pointing that the government has complete majority and can easily pass the Bill before the end of its term, if it wishes.
The six-hour hunger strike programme was inaugurated by CPM leader Sitaram Yechury. Sanjay Singh (AAP), Naresh Gujral (Shiromani Akali Dal), Shamima Firdous (National Conference), Subhasini Ali (CPM), Pooja Shukla (SP), Seema Malik (NCP), Anjum Javed Mirza (PDP), Narayana K (CPI) and Shyam Rajak (RJD) joined the event. Apart from the other BRS leaders, some representatives from the Women Truck Drivers’ Association as well as different communities such as Gujjar and Dalit and student unions also participated in the strike that concluded at 4 pm.
Emphasising that the protest will continue across the country till the passage of the Bill, she told the gathering, “If India needs to develop at the speed the world is developing, women should play a key role in politics. Women should get more representation in politics for which it is important to bring this Bill that has been pending for 27 years.”
Yechury: Bill crucial for equal opportunity to women
Yechury gave assurance of support to Kavitha in this protest till the Bill is passed. “This Bill is important to give equal opportunity to women in politics. When he entered Parliament for the first time in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said his government’s priority would be the Women’s Reservation Bill. It has been nine years now, this Bill has not been introduced again in Parliament, he said.Sanjay Singh of the AAP said the Bill was mentioned in the BJP manifesto but it has not yet been passed. “Bring this Bill in the current session of Parliament and all parties will support it,” he said.
Gujral links Bill to PM’s nari shakti talk
Naresh Gujral said, “When PM talks about nari shakti (women power), why is this Bill not passed? Today BJP talks about Amrit Kaal, but Amrit Kaal will be successful if women are given reservation.”
RJD leader Shyam Rajak said Indian democracy cannot be strengthened without adequate political representation of women. “Reservation for women should be more than 33% in Lok Sabha and State assemblies,” he said.Kavitha had on Thursday said the hunger strike was planned a week before but the ED summoned her to depose before it on March 9.